ICC Intercontinental Cup and Shield

KENYA v BERMUDA Bermuda were in a weak position before the match began, having lost a one-day series to Kenya 3-0 and the services of the opening batsman, Stephen Outerbridge, through cartilege damage to his knee. In addition, the Bermuda Cricket Board had sent home Lionel Cann as punishment for showing dissent against an umpiring decision in the third one-day fixture, for which he was given a two-match one-day ban by the ICC; he was already on a twelve-month probation period with the ICC following his behaviour in the ICC Intercontinental Cup match against The Netherlands earlier in the summer. Azeem Pitcher was included in the side as an emergency opener and Rodney Trott was promoted to the unlikely position of number three. Asked to bat under grey skies in conditions favouring swing, Bermuda lost their first two wickets for one run. Rain interrupted play before they had a chance to recover and an early lunch was taken, after which the third wicket fell with the score on only 35. David Hemp was dropped at mid on whilst still on nought but this let-off marked the start of a revival. With the assistance of James Celestine, Irving Romaine and Janeiro Tucker, the score moved rapidly to 217 for six. Hemp played the anchor role throughout whilst his partners went for their shots and were particularly severe on the Kenyan spinners. Their run rates were respectively 80.4, 84.0 and 52.3 but all three got out when, perhaps, a little more caution would have been to their country’s advantage. Dwayne Leverock played sensibly at the end of the day which finished early because of bad light, leaving Hemp five runs short of a century. Heavy overnight rain made the pitch more difficult on the second morning and, after struggling for a further 22 balls, Hemp was caught at mid on, driving Peter Ongondo on the front foot. His innings of 97 contained 16 fours and was made at a strike rate of 42.7. Hiren Varaiya accounted for Leverock, Kevin Hurdle and Tamauri Tucker to achieve an impressive five-wicket return. Hurdle and Malachi Jones bowled poorly in Kenya’s reply, allowing Maurice Ouma and David Obuya too many loose balls down the leg side. On first change, it was Leverock who made the breakthrough, trapping Ouma in front of the wicket, and then kept Bermuda in the match by dismissing David Obuya and Tony Suji. When Hurdle bowled Steve Tikolo with a superb inswinger, Kenya were reduced to 104 for four. Collins Obuya and Thomas Odoyo added 89 runs as the conditions continued to ease but, shortly after passing his half-century, Collins Obuya nicked Tamauri Tucker to the wicketkeeper. By the close, however, Odoyo and James Kamande were in command of the situation as Kenya progressed to within 39 runs of Bermuda’s total without further loss. Hurdle produced a fine spell of bowling with the new ball, which became due after three overs on the third day. His effort and that of Leverock restricted Kenya to a lead of only 21 runs. Their work was in vain, however, as Bermuda gave one of their more hapless batting displays. Jekon Edness was again dismissed without scoring, as Ongondo produced a hostile six-over opening spell, but it was Varaiya and Kamande who did the damage. On a wicket increasingly favouring spin, only Hemp showed an ability to deal with the turning ball. At 60 for five, Bermuda’s position looked precarious, but at 83 for seven, it was hopeless. Hurdle responded with aggression, lifting Kamande over long off for six and Varaiya over long on for two more. He and Hemp added 53 for the ninth wicket before Hurdle, whose 30 runs came off 33 balls, was beaten by a quicker delivery from Varaiya and fell leg-before. Varaiya then dismissed Tamauri Tucker to obtain a match return of 10 for 133 and leave Hemp undefeated, having scored 38% of his team’s runs. With 158 runs needed to win, Kenya adopted Hurdle’s approach and it was Hurdle who suffered, Ouma hitting him for 20 runs in one over. The fifty was reached in the sixth over and by the close, Kenya were half way to their target without losing a wicket. On the last morning Ouma and David Obuya were unable to repeat their strike rate of 82.2 of the previous day but nevetheless progressed solidly, with a century opening partnership, before Ouma mis-hit Jones to give an easy catch to substitute fielder, Kyle Hodsoll, at mid on. David Obuya took up the scoring role with sixes over long on off Jones and Rodney Trott before the latter beat him with a quicker delivery. Kenya then proceeded to victory without further alarm. The only consolation for Bermuda, beaten by the better all-round side, was the allocation of the Man-of-the-Match award to David Hemp. 134 ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-08